MEMPHIS, Tenn. — September is here and the winter months are right around the corner.
That means flu season is on its way, but with COVID, some are wondering will the flu be bad this season or not as impactful?
Local 24 News Reporter Brittani Moncrease spoke with an infectious disease doctor about the trend.
One of the fears this winter is having an epidemic on top of a pandemic. Flu season is approaching and we’re still battling the coronavirus pandemic.
In times like this, it helps to look for a silver lining.
In this case, Baptist Memorial's Dr. Steve Threkeld said it may come with the upcoming flu season.
“We see what happens, for example, now in the southern hemisphere. That’s one of the ways that we predict what happens when it comes around to us again,” said Dr. Threkeld, Baptist Memorial Infectious Disease Medical Director.
If places in the Southern Hemisphere such as Australia and New Zealand are any indication, it may bring some hope.
“They’re seeing a dramatic decrease from what they had seen compared to last year for example,” said Dr. Threkeld.
How dramatic?
“The numbers are down 60, 70, 80, and in some cases 90%. If you look at Australia by the last two weeks of June, they normally last year would have had about 22,000 cases reported. At last check, it was 85 looking at the number,” said Dr. Threkeld.
One reason is because of pandemic restrictions.
“School closures, social distancing, masks, hand-washing, those things are probably even more effective at preventing the flu maybe than they are in preventing the coronavirus,” said Dr. Threkeld.
That does not mean the United States is in the clear for the flu season.
“Some of these other countries looking at the southern hemisphere have some advantages over us. Many of them have much more difficult, in actual travel into their country. We have a more open international travel system,” said Dr. Threkeld.
Not to mention, vaccinations are down and some schools are open.
“Kids and school-aged kids in particular are very important transmitters of the flu every year,” said Dr. Threkeld. “Thankfully, we’re, like never before at least, on our guard.”
Still, there should be precautions.
“There are certainly some things that would try to keep us from being overly confident. We tried once with the coronavirus and it certainly didn’t get us very far," said Dr. Threkeld.
He also emphasized the importance of the flu shot. It does not necessarily prevent the flu, but will help prevent people from getting extremely sick and possibly dying.